John geeen



(No Model.)

J. GREEN. PREPARATION OF BOOT 0R SHOE UPPERS FOR LASTING. I No. 319,699. Patented June 9, 1885. v

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N. iETERfl. Phomulbognpher, Wnhinghm 0 c UN TED STATES PATENT Grater...

JOHN GREEN, OF SEWIOKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA. A

PREPARATION OF BOQT OR SHOE UPPERS FOR LASTING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,699, dated June 9, 1885.

Application filed February .28, 1385. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN GREEN, of Sewickley, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Preparation of Boot and Shoe Uppers for Lasting, of which the following 'is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in explaining its nature.

It has been very difficult to properly fit or last in the uppers of boots and shoes in the shank, because the last has such a peculiar inward curve formation that it is almost impossible to shape a fiat uncut piece of leather to its surface. To overcome this difficulty, special lasting pinchers, screws, and other appliances to stretch or force the leather smoothly into and about the shank have been invented and patented; but they have not been found to operate very successfully, and they subject the leather to a treatment which is often very injurious to it. Other means have been invented for accomplishing the object, such as inserting a V-shaped gusset or gore, or in cutting either the vamp or quarter longer at the point of unison at the shank. "These means assist in properly fitting the upper to the side of the last above the sole; but the portion of the upper that laps over onto the insole pulls in very hard, and oftentimes does not fold smoothly; and the object of my invention is to enable the part of the upper overlying the insole,when lasted, to readily and easily yield to the strain of the outer circle or curve of the vamp as it is being drawn in and folded down. This I accomplish by forming in the edge of the shank parts of the upper a series of holes at alittle distance from the edge, and which have slits connecting them with the edge. I also prefer to prepare the lining for this section of the upper in the same manner, and also to re-enforce the edge of the upper or lining by means of a strip of cotton cloth or other suitable material, preferably cut on the bias, so as to readily yield and not readily tear, which is cemented to the inner surface of the upper or to the lining, or to both.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of alasted shoe inverted. Fig. 2 shows the form of the inside shank of alast and a portion of the insole of a shoe, and about the width or margin of the .upper which it is desirable shall 4 lap upon the edge of the insole in order to sew, peg, or nail through the same. Fig. 3represents how the folded edge of the upper having my improvement is allowed to open and conform itself to the surface of the insole. Fig. 4. shows the shape of the holes or cuts which are made in the edge of the shank of the upper or lining before lasting. Fig. 5 is aview in perspective showing a portion of the inner sole and of the margin of the 'upper and lin-' ing projecting upward therefrom before it is lasted down, a portion of the lining being removed to show a strip of re-enforcing material united to the inner surface of the upper, as hereinafter explained. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the parts shown in Fig. 5, to still further illustrate this feature of the invention.

A is the insole, and A is the outer edge of I I the inside portion of the insole, the upper being folded over the same. B shows the turnedover margin or edge of the upper, which,being on the outer circle of the area of strain, must be stretched about half an inch more on its outer edge than upon the line a. (See Fig. 2.) If, however, the edge of the upper is cut in such a manner as not to tear at or near the cut, the upper is lasted more readily and with much less strain proportionally. This result is well illustrated by Fig. 3, in the extent to which the cuts or holes 0 have opened.

The holes 0 are formed in the edge of the section of the upper which is to be fitted to the shank of the boot or shoe preferably by' means of button-hole cutters or other suitable tool, and they each comprise around or curved section, 0, caused by removing a portion of the upper, and a slit, c,which extends therefrom to the edge of the upper. A round hole at the bottom or edge of the cut prevents the leather from starting to tear, as it would if the out were simply a slit, as shown at E, Fig. 4. In order to strengthen or re-enforce this shank edge of the upper, I cement with rubher or other pliable adhesive a piece of cotton cloth, D, or other suitable materiahcut on the bias, so as to readily yield and not tear, to the under surface of the upper, and, preferably,

before the holes are out therein, in order that ICO the re-enforcing material may be cut at the same time. Iprefer that the re-enforcing material be cut on the bias, mainly because when so cut the warp and filling both aid in sustaining the strain, while if out straight, as woven,either the warp or filling takes no part of the strain. I also prefer to provide the lining with holes of similar shape and location to those in the edge of the upper, and for the same reason.

The advantage of this invention cannot be better understood than by noting in Fig. 2 the difference in the length of the lines a b from thecross-lines f and g. It will show that the line a is about half an inch shorter than the line b, and that this half an inch of leather or upper must be crimped or fulled in at a, or stretched at 1), unless released in some way, and,so far as I am aware, none of the previous inventions in this line oflers a sufficient release No injury can possibly result to the boot or shoe by the cutting of the edge of the margin at the shank in the manner indicated, if the cut is not entirely inside the line of fastenings used in uniting the outsole to the insole, as the upper is, compressed and clamped tightly between the two soles; but as a rule the sewing or fastening which unites the two soles does pass outside the ends of these cuts.

It is obvious that the depths of the cuts vary according to the shape of the lasts and insoles and the width of the margin of the upper turned over thereon.

The holes may be formed, if desired, by punching out around section, and then cutting from the hole to the edge or from the edge to the hole. When button-hole cutters are used, they may be arranged in a row, so as to be used simultaneously, and thus cut the desired number of holes at one stroke.

While the invention is represented as applied to the inside and outside shank-sections of the upper, it is more positively applicable to the inside section, and I may use it in that part only, if desired.

Having thus fully described my invention, I- claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. A boot or shoe upper having the curved holes 0 opening to the edge in the shank portions thereof, to facilitate the operation of lasting, all substantially as and for the purposes v JOHN GREEN Witnesses:

FRANK T. TAPPAN, J os. P. PLUMMER. 

